Job responsibilities
Job Overview:
To receive, assist and direct patient enquiries in accessing the appropriate service or healthcare professional in a courteous, efficient and effective manner.
To provide general assistance to the Practice team and have a positive and friendly manner towards patients and other visitors, either in person or over the telephone.
Duties & Responsibilities:
To ensure an effective and efficient reception service is provided to patients and any other visitors to the practice.
To deal with all general enquiries, explain procedures and make new and follow-up appointments.
To ensure that patients with no prior appointment, but who need urgent medical intervention, are seen in a logical and non-disruptive manner.
To explain Practice arrangements and formal requirements to new patients and those seeking temporary cover and ensure procedures are completed.
To ensure completed repeat prescriptions are given to patients, checking names and addresses beforehand.
To prepare lists and notes for all surgeries and clinics held, ensuring completion of all associated paperwork.
To process appointment requests for the day and future appointments from patients via telephone and in person.
To enter requests for home visits in accordance with Practice protocols, ensuring careful recording of all relevant details.
To register new patients, including the data entry of medical records.
To process any change to patient details, e.g., change of address ensuring that all computer data and medical records are up to date.
To receive and make telephone calls as required; diverting calls and take messages ensuring accuracy of detail and prompt appropriate delivery.
To have working knowledge of the telephone system during and after hours.
To have a thorough knowledge of Practice policies and procedures.
To work in accordance with written protocols.
To file post in medical records, as and when required.
To scan and photocopy documents as and when required.
To ensure the courier takes all documentation and samples at the appropriate time.
To open and distribute incoming mail.
To open up the Practice at the start of the day, de-activate the alarm and make all the necessary preparations to receive patients.
To ensure all health and safety checks are undertaken within the desired timescales.
When last to leave at the end of the day, to ensure that the building is secured, internal lights are off, all electrical equipment has been turned off and the alarm activated.
Confidentiality:
- In the course of seeking treatment, patients entrust us with, or allow us to gather, sensitive information in relation to their health and other matters. They do so in confidence and have the right to expect that staff will respect their privacy and act appropriately.
- In the performance of the duties outlined in this Job Description, the post-holder may have access to confidential information relating to patients and their carers, Practice staff and other healthcare workers. They may also have access to information relating to the Practice as a business organisation. All such information from any source is to be regarded as strictly confidential.
- Information relating to patients, carers, colleagues, other healthcare workers or the business of the Practice may only be divulged to authorised persons in accordance with the Practice policies and procedures relating to confidentiality and the protection of personal and sensitive data.
Health & Safety:
The post-holder will implement and lead on a full range of promotion and management their own and others health and safety and infection control as defined in the practice Health & Safety Policy, the practice Health & Safety Manual, and the practice Infection Control policy and published procedures. This will include (but will not be limited to):
- Using personal security systems within the workplace according to Practice guidelines.
- Identifying the risks involved in work activities and undertaking such activities in a way that manages those risks.
- Making effective use of training to update knowledge and skills.
- Using appropriate infection control procedures, maintaining work areas in a tidy and safe way and free from hazards.
- Actively reporting of health and safety hazards and infection hazards immediately when recognised.
- Keeping own work areas and general/patient areas generally clean, assisting in the maintenance of general standards of cleanliness consistent with the scope of the job holders role.
- Undertaking periodic infection control training.
- Reporting potential risks identified.
Equality and Diversity:
The post-holder will support the equality, diversity and rights of patients, carers and colleagues, to include:
- Acting in a way that recognizes the importance of peoples rights, interpreting them in a way that is consistent with Practice procedures and policies, and current legislation.
- Respecting the privacy, dignity, needs and beliefs of patients, carers and colleagues.
- Behaving in a manner which is welcoming to and of the individual, is non-judgmental and respects their circumstances, feelings priorities and rights.
Personal/Professional Development:
The post-holder will participate in any training programme implemented by the Practice as part of this employment, such training to include:
- Participation in an annual individual performance review, including taking responsibility for maintaining a record of own personal and/or professional development.
- Taking responsibility for own development, learning and performance and demonstrating skills and activities to others who are undertaking similar work.
- Attendance at the quarterly Protected Time Meetings
- Attendance at all Mandatory and Statutory training requirements as indicated by the Reception Manager
Quality:
The post-holder will strive to maintain quality within the Practice, and will:
- Alert other team members to issues of quality and risk.
- Assess own performance and take accountability for own actions, either directly or under supervision whilst embracing the practices ethos of recording of any errors or near misses and learning by mistakes without blame.
- Contribute to the effectiveness of the team by reflecting on own and team activities and making suggestions on ways to improve and enhance the teams performance.
- Work effectively with individuals in other agencies to meet patients needs.
- Effectively manage own time, workload and resources.
Communication:
The post-holder should recognise the importance of effective communication within the team and will strive to:
- Communicate effectively with other team members.
- Communicate effectively with patients and carers.
- Recognize peoples needs for alternative methods of communication and respond accordingly.
Contribution to the Implementation of Services:
The post-holder will:
- Apply all Practice policies, standards and guidance.
- Discuss with other members of the team how the policies, standards and guidelines will affect own work.
- Participate in audit where appropriate.
This Job Description is neither exhaustive nor exclusive and will be reviewed annually in conjunction with the post-holder at the annual appraisal. The post holder is also required to carry out any duties that may reasonably be requested by the Partners, or Reception Manager.
